Toilet kit



Nov. 15, 1949 F. E. LE BARON 2,437,833

. TOILET KIT Filed June 20, 1946, s Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. E. LE BARON TOILET KIT Nov. 15, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 20, 1946 ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1949 F. E. LE BARON 2,487,883

TOILET KIT Filed June 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 3 ENVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 15,1949

TOILET KIT Francis E. Le Baron, Binghamton, N. Y.

Application June 20. 1946, Serial No. 678,008

It is a frequent experience in travelling to find 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-1) that the shaving mirror is not conveniently placed or does not have adequate lighting around it. One object of the present invention is to provide a toilet kit which, in addition to holding toilet articles, supplies the user with a properly supported mirror and associated illuminating means, and which can be set up in any convenient location.

Another object is to provide a kit of the kind described, in which the mirror and illuminating means are contained in a section of the kit which can be turned around so as to face backward, in relation to another section of the kit which contains the toilet articles, or which can be separated altogether from saidother section, so that it can be hung up; for example, b means of an electric extension cord which supplies the illuminating means.

Still another object is to provide a box, such as a toilet kit, so shaped that it can be easily picked up from any side, and without the aid of a handle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification, wherein I have described, by wa of example, a professed embodiment of the invention.

I structed in accordance with the invention, with the top section turned up on its hinge.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the kit, in closed condition.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the kit, with the top section turned upon its hinge and turned so as to face backward, in relation to the bottom section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the top section of the kit separated from the bottom section and suspended by the extension cord.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views illustrating the method of picking up the kit.

Fig. 8 is a circuit diagram.

Fig. 9 is a detail view of a five-position switch.

As shown in Fig. l, the toilet kit comprises a top section I and a bottom section 2 hinged together by a hinge 3. The inside of the bottom section is preferably lined with plush, or the like, and serves to hold the toilet articles. The

top section comprises a top wall 4 (Fig. 2), side walls 5, 6, I, and 8, and concave joining portions 9, the purpose of which will be described later. The top section contains a box-like structure l0, formed by a translucent panel ll having an opening in which is framed a mirror [2, and a lateral grill I3, which extends into abutment with the concave joining portion 9 of the top section.

The panel II is secured to the top wall 4 by screws (not shown) threaded into posts l4 and counterbored in the top wall 4.

In the present embodiment, illumination is provided by incandescent lamps 15 mounted in sockets IS on a metal bracket l1 secured by screws l8 to posts I9 of the top wall 4. The central contact (not shown) of each lamp'base makes contact in the usual way with an insulated terminal 20. The electrical connections to the terminals 20 and braket I1 are shown in Fig. 8. The bracket H is connected to one wire 2| of an electric extension cord 22 having the usual plug 23. The terminals 20 are connected in groups, as indicated by the dotted sectors A. B, and C in Fig. 1, and the groups are connected to respective brushes 24, 25, and 26 of a switch shown in Fig. 9. The switch has a-5-sided rotor '21 composed of an insulator with metal inserts,

as shown in the developed diagram in Fig. 8. The rotor can be turned by a knurled knob 28, its five points preventing retrograde movement and giving a snap action to reduce the break are. A fourth brush 29 is connected to the other wire 30 of the cord 22. As will be seen from Fig. 8, when the switch is in the position shown, none of the lamps is lit. When the switch is turned one step in the direction of the arrow, the lamps in group A will be lit, providing illumination for shaving the left side of the face, without glare from the other lamps. The next step of movement of the switch lights the lamps in group B and turns out those in group A, for shaving the right side of the face. Another step will turn on groups A and B together, and still another will add group C.

Heat generated by the lamps I5 is carried oil by air currents entering the space behind the panel H through the lower part of the grill l3 and leaving through the upper part of the grill. The bare metallic sockets l6 and supporting metallic bracket ll offer little obstruction to the air current.

In place of incandescent lamps, any othersuitable kind of lamps, such as fluorescent lamps, can be used. The knob 28 of the switch is in a depression 3| in the panel I i, so as not to extend beyond the plane of the panel. An outlet 32 is provided for plugging in an electric razor and is connected in the circuit as shown in Fig. 8.

The hinge interconnecting the two sections of the kit preferably has the construction shown in detail in Figs. 2 and 5. It comprises a plate secured by screws to a boss 4| of the lower section 2 of the kit, and a plate 42 connected by a pin 43 to the plate 40 and frictionally held to the top.

ectionv I by a bifurcated post 44 fitting into a hole in a boss 45. of the top section. Thedplate 42 curls over at its edge to match the contour of the side wall 1 of the top section. The top section can be pulled oil the post 44 and hung up by means of a hook 46 clamped upon the cord 22, as shown in Fig. 5. The plates 40 and 42 are hinged together by the pin 43 with enough friction to hold the top in any angular position.

Instead of separating the top section from the bottom section, it can be turned 180 upon the post 44, as shownin Fig. 4. This position has the advantage of bringing the mirror nearer to the users face.

Fig. 4 also shows how the kit can be set up in the corner of a bureau drawer, for example. The lower part 50 of the bottom section is of reduced size, providing a ledge 5| adapted to rest on the corner of a drawer 52. The reduced portion 58 bears against the inside walls of the drawer, holding the kit in place, The user will select the bureau drawer at the most convenient height, to, 3 support the kit.

Another feature illustrated in Fig. 4 is the coiling of the cord 22. The cord, the inner end of which-passes through a hole in the grill work l3 and is clamped by a clamp 56, is coiled around and around the sides of the box-like structure formed by the grill work l3 and panel II. Thisbox-like structure ,has two concave portions 51 and 58; the latter forming a space into which the coils of the cord are wedged by the plug 23, whereby the coils are tightened about the box like structure and prevented from falling out when the top section is turned down to close the kit The reduced portion 50 of the lower section is matched by a similar reduced portion 60 of the upper section, These-reduced portions are joined to the side walls 5, 6, 1, and 8, and 5b, 617, lb, and

damaging themirror. It provides a convenient soft-finished tray on which to place articles removed from the kit. It may also be used as a.

non-slip rest forthe kit when the latter is set up shape, comprising a top section and a bottom section, means interconnecting said two sections comprising a hinge having a horizontal axis and pivotal means having a vertical axis whereby the top section can be swung upward and turned on I said pivotal means to face backward, said bottom section having a lower portion of substantially reduced cross section and essentially rectangular, whereby said bottom section can be supported on the corner of a drawer, and a mirror and illuminating means therefor on the inside of said top 8b (Fig. 1), by the previously mentioned concave portions 9. The resulting contour provides space for fingers to be inserted between the top of the 0 as shown in Fig. 6, to lift the kit from the table. The complementary ledge SI of the top section can be grasped by the thumb, as shown in Fig. 7, to lift the kit bodily from the table and the ledge 5| table. The kit therefore requires no handle and 5 can be picked up at any side by one hand. When so grasped it is held closed by the pressure of the fingers and thumb and is not dependent upon a latch to keep it'from flying open and spilling its contents, as may happen with a box picked up by a handle on the cover. A hasp 63 may, however, be provided.

The top section may be enclosed by a thin flat tray 65 of steel covered with resilient rubber. The rubber is formed into a thick bead 66, which fits closely against the inner faces of the side walls of the top section, so that the tray will stay in place while the top section is closed down. A notch in each end of the tray (not shown) permits fingers to be inserted to remove-the tray. The tray serves several purposes. It keeps the contents of the bottom section of the box from section.

2. In a toilet kit, a box comprising a bottom section and a top section, the top section having mounted to the inside of its top an inner box-like structure spaced from the side walls of the top section, an electric extension cord wrapped around said inner box-like structure and having one end secured to said top section and a connection, plug at its other end, said inner box-like structure having a concave shape adjacent said plug across which the coils of said cord are stretched so as to leave a space between said coils and the side of said top section, smaller than the thickness of said plug, said plug being wedged between the side of said top section and said coils so that the latter are bowed into the concave end of said inner box-like structure and contracted upon the same.

3. In a toilet kit, a box comprising a bottom section and a top section, the'top section having mounted, therein a translucent panel with an opening therein, a mirror in said opening and approximately in the same plane with said panel,

and illuminating means behind said panel, said panel being mounted to the inside of the top of said top section, so as to leave a marginal cavity between it and the sides of said top section for storage of an electric extension cord.

FRANCIS E. LE BARON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 533,876 Ernst Feb. 12, 1895 1,459,181 Klebba June 19, 1923 1,639,963 Pilliod- Aug.'23, 1927 1,760,015 Schwabe May 27, 1930 1,774,314 Bral Aug. 26, 1930 2,046,393 Lewinsohn et a1 July 7, 1936 2,224,995 Vogel Dec. 17, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 2,787 Great Britain A. D. 1907 370,203 France Feb. 1, 1907 805,741 France Aug. 31, 1936 

